Mystery Skulls Animated: Intervention
by TFAArtFreak
Summary: Something happened, something ELSE was in that cave, and something else intervened. Whatever it was, Arthur knows its not done with him yet, and his two best friends have no clue why it stole his arm.


"Come on Arthur, we're not leaving without you1" Vivi confirmed, crossing her arms for emphasis, her adorably sweet face contorting into an amusing pout as she attempted to hide her excitement to coerce the cowardly man from the van.

"G-go on without me, I could, you know, just, guard the van?" he squeaked, gulping as he glanced warily at the glowing cave.

"Come on Arthur, nothing's going to happen, I promise." Lewis laughed, coming up and slapping the smaller man on the back before sending him a mildly aggressive look of determination.

"Besides, I've noticed how lonely you've been, with Vivi and I getting together and all, we're NOT letting our group turn into two plus one plus dog, are we clear?" his tone softening at the end of his statement.

Arthur glanced at Vivi, as if looking for clues on how to continue and received an enthusiastic agreement from the blue haired girl, and out of the corner of his eye he swore the dog mirrored the action.

Arthur trembled for a moment before his gaze drifted to the ground, his foot kicking an imaginary sod clump before he clenched a bit and gave a quick nod.

Mystery barked, his tail wagging, ears slightly drooped as if with relief before he stepped towards the cave, looking back as if with expectation.

Arthur took a steadying breath before Lewis pushed him towards the cave, not removing his arm until they crossed its initial threshold to light a torch and look around. Wristband adorned arms gripped at Lewis' shoulders as the steady rhythm of cave life grew in pitch at the intrusion of the crew.

Bats skittered through the air along with light-green shades of mist, circling the group in a dance as they ventured further into the cave.

"Wow, it's like we don't even need a torch, it's like the cave itself is its own light source." Vivi murmured, confused but fascinated as she and Lewis took lead through the tunnels.

Mystery made an inaudible growl in the back of his throat, his eyes narrowed as he examined his surroundings.

Arthur noticed the tension from the canine and gripped Lewis' shoulders tighter in response.

"M-maybe this was a bad idea." he whispered meekly.

Lewis turned to look over his shoulder, sending back a comforting smile.

"Don't worry Artie, with you watching our backs and us ready for anything there's nothing we can't do together."

Arthur gulped and tightened his grip, glancing up to notice a bat, it's odd jade eyes seemed to be watching them as they passed beneath it. A shiver ran down his back before he realized he was getting cold.

Gulping he released Lewis' shoulders to tug his puffy orange vest tighter around himself until he noticed they had come to a fork in their path.

Vivi automatically took the path that seemed to venture down to their right and Lewis was already heading to the left, sending Arthur into a panic as he tried to decide who to follow.

Glancing at their mascot he opened his mouth as if to speak only to shut it when the dog went after Vivi, its ears lowered in tension as it did.

Gulping Arthur sprinted after Lewis, almost colliding with the larger man as he peered over a cliff.

A small shriek echoed through the air and Arthur yelped as he looked up, spotting a bat flutter above them and land just above him, its eyes narrowed as it made another shriek.

Shivering Arthur wondered if it was the same bat he had encountered earlier but shook his head and looked at his best friend as he gazed over the cliff side.

 _It would be too easy_

Arthur shivered again, his left hand tingling as he frowned.

 _Look at him, so unaware, so blatantly unassuming, it's like he's asking for it._

Arthur blinked again, his mouth turning downcast as the numbness seemed to crawl its way up his arm.

 _Do you really think he meant what he said? It's obvious from his behavior._

His arm, it was numb, and...was his leg getting numb? Something was wrong...

 _He was just so happy without you, you saw the joy on his face._

Something was DEFINATELY wrong, he needed to tell Lewis-

 _Maybe you should show him, just how much he bothers you._

Lewis, Lewis there was something, wrong...why was his face getting numb?

 _Just one...little...PUSH-_

"LEWIS"

Lewis turned, his excited smile and twinkling eyes bright.

"Artie-"

His arm, his arm hurt sooo much, he looked to see a monster holding his arm, it had risen, risen towards Lewis...as...if to-

"ARTHUR"

There was a terrible sound, like ripping fabric and gravel, then, as if the numbness had been torn away, there was pain, pain so immense Arthur couldn't quite describe it, so immense he didn't realize he was screaming until Lewis was screaming too.

Arthur looked up to see what had done this, what had torn his- his arm, it TOOK his ARM, and it was HOLDING IT, in. It's. Mouth.

The creature was enormous, the size of a grizzly, jade eyes glowered down at him as his arm twitched in its grip. Tendrils of darkness seemed to sprout from its maw and back, writhing like snakes, making its skull like face even more terrifying to observe.

Arthur was terrified, this THING had hurt him, it hurt so much, it had taken a piece of him, it wanted MORE-

"AR-" Lewis was screaming, Arthur didn't realize it until it was too late, they were falling.

In his panic he had backed into Lewis, and over the cliff.

Lewis wrapped his arms protectively around him, like a living shield, trying to protect him from what was to happen next.

Arthur felt his stomach drop as they hurtled towards the spiky floor, then darkness.

* * *

Lewis had turned from his find to Arthur, he had expected to see his jittery friend cowering at a safe distance, he hadn't anticipated him being so close to the edge...or for the creature to manifest behind him.

The moment he realized it was there he screamed out Arthur's name in warning, but it was too late, he had to listen as the thing snapped its maw down on his best friend's arm and wrench it off, removing the limb entirely.

He had to watch as he tried to leap forward, to try and release his friend, maybe with the torch? He had to watch as the skin tore and the muscles rip as he moved the torch high. He had to watch as the bone snapped and the blood to ooze as he swung his arm. He had to shudder as Arthur's screams reached his ears before he collided with him, the torch flying out of his hand, missing the creature, but passing close enough to light its face. He had to watch as their colliding forces sent them back, and over the edge.

He had to watch as the creatures eyes widened before it dissipated and moved towards them, dropping the arm it held. He watched as the cliff side fell from their reach and he wrapped his arms around his broken friend as they both screamed, when had they both started screaming?

He had to watch as the dark tendrils of the creature came from the shadows and shoot towards them. Then, he couldn't watch anymore.

* * *

Vivi heard the screams, she looked up, startled, to see her two best friends fall from the cliff side, Lewis clutching Arthur and the smaller man splattered in red. Both of them had their eyes wide open, and both were screaming. She watched as the waves of darkness seemed to chase them to their fate before enveloping them, over washing them, taking them from her view before she could see them land...then it headed towards her.

Mystery yelped, tugged on her sleeve only for them both to be caught up in the wave, the next thing she knew, she was weight less, thrashing in open darkness, searching for a hold, only to land on the ground, her dog landing in her lap as the darkness swelled before them, taking the form she could only describe as a bear mixed with a demonic ape, its face only bone as tentacles of black floundered on its back and tongues wriggled in its open maw.

" _ **NEVER COME BACK"**_ the thing screeched before vanishing, leaving no trace it was ever there...except-

"ARTHUR"

Vivi whipped her head to see Lewis rip off his ascot and begin tying- where was Arthur's arm?

She felt sick, there was so much red, why was there so much RED?

Mystery had left her lap, when did that happen? He was right beside Arthur, licking the mans white face, not getting a response as the man lay limply against Lewis, his eyes closed and his mouth slack.

He needed help, he needed a HOSPITAL.

Vivi jumped up and rushed to her best friend's side, reaching into his pocket and snatching the keys before she grabbed Arthur by his remaining arm, hauling him up with strength she didn't know she possessed.

Lewis gaped at her in surprise, his own jaw going slack as he watched his girlfriend/best friend lift his other best friend like he was nothing.

Vivi tossed the keys with her free hand, looping her other arm over her head to brace the blonde over her shoulder.

"Hospital." she said, a firm tone in her voice but her lip quavered as her legs trembled from the weight she had thrown upon herself.

Snapping out of it Lewis jumped up and helped hold Arthur as they hurried to towards the van, his jaw tightening as they loaded the smaller man into the back of the car and as Vivi shut the doors behind them.

Climbing into the front seat Lewis jammed the key into the ignition before slamming on the gas, eyes focused on the road as he shifted from park into full speed, dirt went flying as the van shot down the road and towards civilization.

Above them the clear sky shone a gibbous moon, and between the sky and the van there flew a bat, it paused, gazing back at its cave before turning towards the retreating van, jade eyes focusing into twin rings in black sockets before they narrowed and, making its decision, followed them back to the world.


End file.
